eInside Briefs
News Briefs
- Kent State Receives $357,000 Grant to Educate University Community About Mental Health and Substance Abuse Disorders
- Don’t Miss Homecoming on Oct. 3
- LGBT Research Interest Group for Faculty
- Adopt the Kent State Women’s Center Pantry for Fall 2015
- Kent State Student Turns Freshman Year Involvement into National Award
Kent State Receives $357,000 Grant to Educate University Community About Mental Health and Substance Abuse Disorders
Kent State University’s College of Public Health has been
awarded a $357,000 grant from the U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services to fund Project AWARE Kent,
a three-year Mental Health First Aid program.
Kent State University’s College of Public Health was awarded a $357,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services through its Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to fund Project AWARE Kent, a three-year Mental Health First Aid program.
The new program will educate more than 700 Kent State faculty, staff and students about mental health and substance-use disorders.
Project AWARE Kent is a collaborative effort between Kent State, the Mental Health and Recovery Board of Portage County and multiple Kent community behavioral health agencies to reduce the negative effects of mental health and substance-use disorders. The project will teach individuals about the disorders, including how to identify, intervene and refer individuals in need to behavioral health specialists.
“This provides a great opportunity for the university in terms of educating and promoting awareness of mental health and substance abuse problems,” says Deric Kenne, Ph.D., Project AWARE Kent director and assistant professor of health policy and management at Kent State.
To educate the large student population on the Kent Campus, Kenne and co-director Rebecca Fischbein, Ph.D., assistant professor of health policy and management at Kent State, plan to “saturate the campus” through a series of Mental Health First Aid training opportunities. Kenne and Fischbein will train eight behavioral health center and university professionals who will then administer training to the student leaders in numerous campus organizations. The student training will begin during the 2016 Spring Semester in an effort to train approximately 240 students each year. Over the course of three years, Kenne and Fischbein hope to train at least 720 students, faculty and staff.
“The goal behind this grant is to create a network of people within the community who will know how to respond and are aware of mental health and substance-abuse disorders,” Fischbein says.
Fischbein also says she hopes to see the negative perceptions associated with such disorders diminish.
Based on survey data collected in the spring of 2014, nearly one-third of students admitted that at some point during their time at Kent State, they thought about getting help for mental health problems. However, less than half followed through and sought the help they needed.
“By increasing awareness about these disorders, you’re reducing the stigmas,” Fischbein says.
For more information about Project AWARE Kent, contact Kenne at dkenne@kent.edu or Fischbein at rfischbe@kent.edu.
To learn more about Kent State’s College of Public Health, visit www.kent.edu/publichealth.
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Don’t Miss Homecoming on Oct. 3
Kent State University students pose with the university
mascot Flash, while enjoying the Homecoming celebration.
Celebrate Homecoming and enjoy a fun-filled weekend of events, including the Bowman Cup 5K Race, Homecoming Parade and football game against the Miami RedHawks. This year's Homecoming will feature Kent State alumnus and Super Bowl champion Julian Edelman as the Parade Grand Marshal.
Hang out with family and friends before the football game at the new Tailgate Party at Dix Stadium featuring live music by Tricky Dick & the Cover-Ups. A great event for any Golden Flash, the gathering will feature a food truck, face painting area, games and a chance to win prizes. The Tailgate Party begins at 1 p.m. followed by the Homecoming game at 3:30 p.m. at Dix Stadium (west side).
Other highlights of the day include open houses at the May 4 Visitors Center; new Center for Visual Arts; the Student Recreation and Wellness Center; College of Education, Health and Human Services; College of Nursing; and tours of downtown aboard Lolly the Trolley, a Flash Photo Zone and a faculty lecture on the “Flapper Fashions of the 1920s.”
For a full event listing, visit www.ksualumni.org/homecoming. Join the conversation online by using #KentHC.
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LGBT Research Interest Group for Faculty
The Kent State University Women’s Center initiated a Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning/Queer (LGBTQ) Research Interest Group for faculty last year. The group seeks to assist faculty to collaborate on LGBTQ research and grant efforts. If you are a faculty member on any Kent State campus doing research on sexual orientation or gender identity or have an interest in doing so and would like to join the group, please contact Dianne Kerr at dkerr@kent.edu.
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Adopt the Kent State Women’s Center Pantry for Fall 2015
The Kent State University Women's Center is located on
the Kent Campus in the Alumni Carriage House on Midway
Drive.
The Kent State University Women’s Center is seeking a department or office to adopt its pantry for the 2015 Fall Semester. The pantry is in need of nonperishable food items, as well as basic toiletries and cleaning items. Please consider supporting the Women’s Center as it seeks to reduce food disparities on campus and in the community.
The Women’s Center Pantry opened during the 2010-11 academic year in response to needs on campus. Although it continues to provide pantry resources to anyone in need within the community, it has expanded its reach to include working with other departments like the Child Development Center and the Student Recreation and Wellness Center to collect diapers and child care products.
The pantry has been adopted by a number of offices and departments that have provided food, cleaning supplies, paper products and personal care items.
“The small, but mighty pantry provides for faculty, staff and students with around 50 visits a semester,” says Cassandra Pegg-Kirby, assistant director of Kent State’s Women’s Center. “Everyone is welcome at the pantry. We are grateful to be able to provide this service to such a wonderful community, but we couldn’t do it without all the generous donations. For all that we give away, we get that much (and more) in return. Thank you for your continued support!”
To support or adopt the Women’s Center Pantry, contact Pegg-Kirby at cpeggkir@kent.edu.
For more information about Kent State’s Women’s Center, visit www.kent.edu/womenscenter.
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Kent State Student Turns Freshman Year Involvement into National Award
Pictured are members of the Kent State University
community, including students, staff and alumni, at the
National Association of College and University Residence
Halls conference.
If you want an example of how to dive into your freshman year, meet new people and get involved on campus, look no further than Kent State University student Nicole Machovina.
Machovina’s freshman résumé is so extensive, and her dedication to creating the ultimate residence hall environment so impressive, she won two awards for it.
She was one of 17 Kent State students who attended the annual National Association of College and University Residence Halls conference.
It is the largest student-run organization in the world with 400 schools taking part from North America to Mexico, Australia, Qatar, Canada, South Africa, United Arab Emirates and Japan.
The organization’s goal is to empower and motivate residence hall leaders to positively impact their campus communities.
“I like helping people,” Machovina says. “I enjoy giving back to the community and helping in any way I can.”
On the regional level, Machovina won the First Year Experience Award, which is given to a first-year student who has done an outstanding job of contributing to their residence hall.
That win led to taking home the coveted, national First Year Experience Award in which she competed against all eight regions in the United States.
“It was crazy,” Machovina says. “It was the last evening of the conference. Everyone was dressed up in their blue and gold. We sat up front, and I was surprised when they read my name. I hadn’t been thinking about it. I had no clue I would win.”
Machovina is hoping to take what she has learned and apply it to her sophomore year this fall. She says she is looking forward to reaching out to freshmen.
“I’m excited to mentor first year students and help them have a great experience like I had,” she says. “I’d also like to keep my grades up and keep volunteering and trying new things.”
Machovina is majoring in communication studies in Kent State’s College of Communication and Information. She plans to attend graduate school and maybe even join the Peace Corps.
She has advice for freshmen.
“Even though there are four years, time moves quickly,” Machovina says. “If you want the full experience, you need to try new activities, join student organizations or sports and be involved in something that you’re passionate about.”
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